No Crunch Ab Workout to Carve Your Core in 15 Minutes

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Abdominals can be tough to target if you don’t know exactly how to other than crunches and sit-ups. This amazing 15 minute workout routine will have your core burning with a no crunch ab workout. This will be your go-to no crunch ab workout to target upper abs, lower abs, and obliques.

no crunch ab workout at home

Carve Your Abdominals Without Crunches or Sit-ups

Summer is fast approaching and that means hot weather and less clothes. Beach days and bikinis. This fast workout will effectively target each muscle in your core to help you quickly achieve the results you want!

RELATED: Stability Ball Ab Workout: Get Your Core Burning 

This workout routine was crafted by a Personal Fitness Trainer to effectively target your midsection without a single crunch or sit-up. There are lots of other amazing exercises you can do to target your midsection that are actually MORE EFFECTIVE!

This routine uses nothing but your body weight.

It’s the perfect routine to do at home, at the park, or anywhere! You’ll be armed with the tools to banish your excuses and complete your own home no crunch ab workout every day! To see the best results you always want to compliment your hard efforts with healthy eating and lots of hydration.

Healthy Eating Resources from Vigor it Out:

 

No Crunch Ab Workout

1. Row Boats (20x)

no crunch ab workout no crunch ab workout

For this exercise get into a boat pose with torso and legs lifted off the ground in a V shape. Hold your arms outstretched on the sides of your legs (but don’t use them for support!). Bring your knees to your chest with your lower legs held parallel to the floor. (You can cross your ankles to modify if it is too difficult to hold them together at first.) Lower your legs by stretching them outward while simultaneously  lowering your torso toward the floor. Once your shoulders and ankles are near the floor with control lift your chest and knees back together smoothly. Repeat 20 times.

2. Raise the Mast (20x)

no crunch ab workout no crunch ab workout

Remain in the same V shaped position with arms outstretched. This time, bend your knees and lower your ankles to where they are just below parallel to the floor before raising them to a high V position. To make this harder sit your torso back farther. Conversely, to make it easier, raise your torso up. Once you find the most comfortable and yet extremely challenging position for your upper body, it shouldn’t move during this exercise. Raise the mast 20 times.

 

3. 100’s

This is a Pilates move that will feel exhausting but I promise you count to 100 as fast as you can so simply wait it out and maintain that position! Begin by laying flat on your back. Very slightly raise your ankles off the floor keeping your legs straight. Curl your shoulders off the floor to activate your upper abdominals as well. Outstretch your arms on the side of your legs again and while counting pulse them up and down only a few inches. Count 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10… all the way to 100 tiny pulses of your hands. Staying in the same position otherwise.

Pilate’s Anytime has a great demonstration of 100’s here if you need it!

I find it helpful to count the multiples of 10 loud, it really helps you to know how far you’ve come and how close you are to finishing!

 

4. Side Plank with Rotation (15x)

ab exercises without crunches or situps ab exercises without crunches or situps

New position now. Get into a side plank with one hand on the floor, your feet stacked, and your body in a straight line. Extend your free arm straight up overhead, toward the ceiling. Hold for 10 seconds. Then round your arm and curl it between the triangle that your body and support arm have created. Return to starting position with shoulders retracted. (They have a tendency to curl as you do more repetitions.) To modify if this exercise is too difficult at first change the position to being on one arm and your knees stacked. Complete 15 rotations.

 

5. Side Plank with Hip Dips (10x)

stomach exercises at home stomach exercises at home

Remain in the same position as the previous exercise. This time move your arm that was outstretched toward the ceiling onto your hips. Dip your hips down to the floor and raise back into a plank position with your body in a straight line. This is one rep. Complete 10 repetitions before moving on.

 

6. Reverse Crunches (30x)

exercises to reduce belly fat for female at home exercises to reduce belly fat for female at home

Lay flat on your back again, arms tightly at your sides. Keeping legs together and straight raise them up to a 45° angle. (If you go too high it is giving your lower abdominals an additional resting period we would like to avoid.) Lower legs slowly all the way to the floor and repeat 30 times.

**In this exercise especially it is important to remember to lift AND lower slowly. Each repetition should take at least 5 seconds (2 up: 1 hold: 2 lower)

 

7. Russian Twist (45s)

russian twist for abs russian twist for abs

Remember the boat position? This is very similar. Lift your upper torso to the V position but this time place feet on the ground with knees up. (For a very advanced version you can lift your legs as well.) Hold your hands in front of your chest, arms tight almost as if protecting your chest from a punch. Rotate your shoulders as much and possible first left then right, as quickly as you can. This exercise is phenomenal for upper abs. Don’t stop this exercise for a full 45 seconds.

 

8. Elbow Plank (1 min.)

no crunch ab workout

(I think my workout partner has had it! How about you?)

Get into an elbow plank. Place your toes on the floor, and elbows on the floor. Fully extend your body between to two. To do a proper plank your lower abdominals especially should always be fully engaged, slightly tucking your hips. Your upper arms should be perpendicular to the floor. Hold this position for 1 full minute.

 

9. Spider-Man (30x)

no crunch core workout no crunch core workout

Leave your plank and raise up onto your hands. Begin in a pushup position with arms outstretched and hands firmly on the floor. Lift your right knee up as high as you can to the side of your body, as if you’re climbing a wall like Spider-Man. Return to starting position and climb with the left foot. Continue 30 “steps” (15 on each side).

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The Perfect Cool Down for Your No Crunch Ab Workout

After an intense and targeted workout it is important to stretch the muscles that you have targeted in order the help them re-lengthen and to minimize the after burn and tightness that may insue from targeted workouts.

My favorite form of stretching is yoga. I do it every day and I’ve never found anything that stretches quite like it.

These 5 poses are the perfect compliment to this workout and will target the same muscles that you used in the no crunch ab workout. Don’t forget to drink extra water today too to rehydrate your muscles and minimize lactic acid buildup.

**Hold each pose 20 seconds**

Yoga Cool Down

All yoga photos and instructions from Yoga Journal and Yoga Basics.

 

How did you like the routine? Which was your favorite move? Please let me know in the comments below! Don’t forget to pin this so that you can rock out this routine any time.

If you liked this routine you’ll love checking out my entire exercise archives!

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